Garry Hall
Senior Member & Supporter
I am rarely shocked but the pictures that were recently posted on Facebook of six large barbel being shown off to an admiring public genuinely disgusted me.
The name of the individual was obscured but I have since been told his name and the post was I believe on the River Thames Carp and Barbel Society page. If the information was wrong then I will apologise without reservation but the members of the group will hopefully advise me if I am correct and also want to comment on the post.
Every club does need to be aware of this matter and I personally hope that he is banned from fishing for life. His actions were indefensible and anyone who tries to justify what occurred needs to seriously consider their own reasons for fishing.
I am not complaining out of jealousy. I am complaining because his offensive and ignorant post showed multiple double figure barbel in serious distress and he clearly had little understanding of what he had done, and he did not care.
I have had catches of barbel from the Trent and I could have laid out twenty double figure fish from a long session but what would it achieve?
They would be in nets until I had enough for a good photo and many of the fish would die even if they swam off which is not what fishing means to me?
I love being on the river even when I blank (which is quite often). Those I fish with know that I rarely take photos of my fish and that I prefer to get them back safely. They have often seen me holding a fish mid river while it recovered and on one another occasion saw me successfully chase a fifteen pound fish down the river because someone had put it back without any consideration for its recovery.
Every fishery owner and club should be concerned at this personās actions. Barbel are scarce and they take long while to grow to double figure size. People will see these images and assume that it is okay to retain large fish.
It is highly likely that the individual suffers with a severe inadequacy complex and he possibly has other mental health issues, or is a habitual drug user but whatever excuse is offered immediate intervention is required because he is not safe to be near the river.
Posting the images was not only stupid but it was also a challenge to other people to post a better picture and killing barbel poses a long term replacement issue. You do not press reset and start again. Once they are gone they are gone.
Letās hope there are some decent anglers out there who will know him and let their clubs and syndicates know the risk that he poses and throw him out.
The name of the individual was obscured but I have since been told his name and the post was I believe on the River Thames Carp and Barbel Society page. If the information was wrong then I will apologise without reservation but the members of the group will hopefully advise me if I am correct and also want to comment on the post.
Every club does need to be aware of this matter and I personally hope that he is banned from fishing for life. His actions were indefensible and anyone who tries to justify what occurred needs to seriously consider their own reasons for fishing.
I am not complaining out of jealousy. I am complaining because his offensive and ignorant post showed multiple double figure barbel in serious distress and he clearly had little understanding of what he had done, and he did not care.
I have had catches of barbel from the Trent and I could have laid out twenty double figure fish from a long session but what would it achieve?
They would be in nets until I had enough for a good photo and many of the fish would die even if they swam off which is not what fishing means to me?
I love being on the river even when I blank (which is quite often). Those I fish with know that I rarely take photos of my fish and that I prefer to get them back safely. They have often seen me holding a fish mid river while it recovered and on one another occasion saw me successfully chase a fifteen pound fish down the river because someone had put it back without any consideration for its recovery.
Every fishery owner and club should be concerned at this personās actions. Barbel are scarce and they take long while to grow to double figure size. People will see these images and assume that it is okay to retain large fish.
It is highly likely that the individual suffers with a severe inadequacy complex and he possibly has other mental health issues, or is a habitual drug user but whatever excuse is offered immediate intervention is required because he is not safe to be near the river.
Posting the images was not only stupid but it was also a challenge to other people to post a better picture and killing barbel poses a long term replacement issue. You do not press reset and start again. Once they are gone they are gone.
Letās hope there are some decent anglers out there who will know him and let their clubs and syndicates know the risk that he poses and throw him out.
